An engrossing volume on the Italian Renaissance by Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Will Durant The fifth volume of Durant's acclaimed Story of Civilization , The Renaissance chronicles the history of Italy from 1304 to 1576. In this masterful work, listeners will encounter the poets Petrarch and Boccaccio, the fathers of the Renaissance; the paintings, sculptures, and architecture of Milan, Florence, and Venice; the life and accomplishments of Leonardo Da Vinci; the Catholic church and the popes of Avignon and Rome; the politicians and philosophers of Italy, including the Borgia family, Julius II, and Machiavelli; the Italian Wars, the conflicts with France, and the country's decline.